Life Before the Internet and After the Internet Essay

Life was very different before the advent of the Internet. Communication methods were limited, stores were the only place to buy goods and services, and physical libraries were the only place to find information and research. The three biggest changes caused by the Internet are in communication, sales, and access to information. The Internet has changed the way people communicate. It allows for instant and reliable communication between people across the street or across the globe. In the past, the only ways to send documents were via fax and postal mail. Faxes were limited because messages could only include two-dimensional text and graphics. The postal mail faced these same issues, as well as the problem with the time it took to send a document through the mail. With the Internet, documents with text, graphics, audio files, video files, and interactive objects can now be transmitted quickly to anyone with a simple click of a button. This has changed the way business is done and has made it easier for companies to expand into new markets. On a smaller level, the Internet has allowed people to reconnect with old friends or make new ones. Chat rooms and social networks such as MySpace. com are becoming increasingly popular as people enjoy the sense of anonymity. The second way that the Internet has changed the world is in the buying and selling of goods and services. With the ability to purchase products online, the business world has changed drastically. Online stores are competing for business, while established brick-and-mortar stores have set up web-based stores as well. Customers can now purchase nearly everything they need from the comfort of their own homes. The Internet has also allowed for quick and easy comparisons of the prices and quality of products and services. The final and most important impact of the Internet is in the access of information. In the past, if you needed to find information on the history of Latin America, you had to go to your local library. Then, you were limited by which books and resources the library carried. With limited budgets, libraries cannot be expected to carry the best sources for every topic. Today, you can access information on any topic from the Internet through academic journals, online encyclopedias, book reviews, and more. In addition, you can find information on every television and radio program, historical events, current events, health issues, scientific discoveries, sporting events, and theories on everything from biomedicine to parenting. Finally, being able to access information online has led to colleges and universities offering degrees where it is not necessary for students to ever step into a classroom. Lectures, PowerPoint slides, notes, and required readings are available on the Internet. In conclusion, the Internet has significantly changed the world in the way people communicate, do business, and learn. The rapidity with which these changes took place suggests that more drastic and exciting changes are still to come. New and innovative uses for technology are developed every day, and the Internet is a major focus of these developments.